The food we provide our children as infants, toddlers, preschoolers and beyond influence not only their health, growth and development but also shape lifelong eating habits. Offering our children a large variety of foods and tastes can only help foster a peaceful relationship with food. Often in the toddler stage and preschool stage food becomes… Continue Reading
Cooperation Begins with Trust
Category Archives: Parenting
Learning Life Skills: List of Household Tasks for Different Ages and Stages
Wondering what jobs your child can do around the house? With a little bit of help, children can do just about any task around the house and as they grow they can become more and more capable of carrying out these taks independently. Having children help with just one to three tasks is a great way to get started. Continue Reading
The Three Cs of Baby Wearing: Connection, Comfort and Convenience.
*This was originally published at Free Your Parenting Baby wearing is an excellent way to promote security and attachment in early infancy and toddlerhood. Baby wearing can also be convenient, but not in a detached, shiny new gadget, batteries required way. Rather, wearing a baby gives parents free hands while at the same time providing a fantastic way to start… Continue Reading
Rivalry To Harmony Part 2: Five Games To Promote Team Work Among Siblings
In a different post, I wrote about avoiding and solving conflicts through play. One of the things I wrote about was how I had encouraged my boys to work together as a team. I received a lot of feedback and questions about other ways to encourage siblings to work together. Here are five games that promote… Continue Reading
Two Boys and Papa in the Kitchen: Recipe For Disaster?
Welcome to the November Carnival of Natural Parenting: Kids in the Kitchen This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how kids get involved in cooking and feeding. Please read to the end to find… Continue Reading
Four Alternatives to Punishment: Positive Solutions in Practice
being punishment free really worked in our day to day lives. Among other things, we use replacement, choices, playfulness and empathy.
Here are four examples from the past week which illustrate how we are practicing finding positive solutions. Continue Reading
No Mom is an Island
I remember long ago, in the fourth grade, my social sciences teacher talked to us about the phrase “No man is an island.” (It is a quote from John Donne) We went on to discuss how as people, we cannot truly develop and thrive in isolation, that having families, friends and interests that bring us… Continue Reading
Television, Guilt and Jumping Jacks.
So my children watch television and often I feel guilty about it. It’s not so bad that it keeps me up at night. My little Bella nursing is the one doing that, but I digress. I don’t really think my children are being too terribly damaged by watching television; the truth is I just feel… Continue Reading
Two Hippos and Ten Euros: A lesson in budgeting.
Welcome to the October Carnival of Natural Parenting: Money Matters This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared how finances affect their parenting choices. Please read to the end to find a list of links to… Continue Reading
Clown School Express: Playing Away Fears
Welcome to the September Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Through Play This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how challenging discipline situations can be met with play. Please read to the end to find a… Continue Reading